Heart of Fire
by Ravenclaw-Earl of Storybrooke
Summary: A mysterious priestess clad in red comes to Wonderland to draw its ruler to the Lord of Light. However, the Queen of Hearts is less than receptive, resulting in a showdown that shakes Cora's faith in her own safety. Rated T for some violence and the implied antics of Melisandre.


Heart of Fire

Author's Note: It's Game of Thrones Season, and, being the relentless Cora fan that I am, I couldn't help but make her a part of it. How better than to connect her with another of my favorite characters? Besides, Westeros must surely be one of the many worlds accessible in OUAT.

Characters:

Cora, The Queen of Hearts

Melisandre of Asshai

Will Scarlett, Knave of Hearts

* * *

Cora sat upon her throne, her courtiers to left and right. As usual, when she held court, her face was obscured by a mask and she spoke through her trusty servant, the Knave until she was sure of her safety.

"Your Majesty," Will Scarlett said, leaning towards the Queen of Hearts. "The next person here for an audience is a witch from a far-off land."

"Which land," Cora muttered to him, eyes narrowing beneath her mask.

"A place I've never heard of before, called Asshai."

"Show her in," Cora ordered.

Will Scarlett nodded to the guards near the gate to Cora's audience chamber, who opened the gates.

A beautiful woman clad in deep reds with shimmering hair to match strode gracefully towards the throne.

"Your Grace," the woman spoke in a melodious voice. "I am Melisandre of Asshai, Priestess of R'hllor. I have come to offer counsel to you."

Cora slowly lowered her mask. "Counsel? What makes causes you to presume that I need counsel."

"All who do not worship the Lord of Light are in need of counsel."

Cora's courtiers laughed, and she smirked at Melisandre.

"My dear girl," Cora chuckled. "Has no one ever told you how weak light is? I chose the darkness long ago, and it has been instrumental to me ever since I learned to harness it."

Melisandre sneered up at her. "You are a fool, and you shall meet a fool's end."

The amused smile faded from Cora's face. "I am the Queen of Hearts and the ruler of this land. You will not come into my palace and threaten me. Now why don't you take your Lord of Light and get out of my palace before I have you thrown out."

Melisandre only smiled at the older woman. "You will regret this, Cora. Think on your sins." She turned and left through the gate.

Cora was deeply unsettled. Her name was not common knowledge in Wonderland, and she had felt a certain magical presence around Melisandre. She ordered the Knave to double the watch around her palace and moved towards her chambers to go sleep.

* * *

Cora had a hard time getting to sleep. She arose from her large bed which was adorned with red velvet sheets. With a wave of her hand, she set a nearby brazier ablaze.

In the firelight, Cora noticed how long her shadow appeared to be. She felt a sudden irrational fear pulling at the corners of her mind, but she dismissed it. Visitors from foreign lands always made her fear conspiracy from either her daughter or the Dark One.

Suddenly, part of the shadow detached itself from Cora's and formed a shadowy silhouette, one that looked vaguely familiar.

"I fear no illusions," Cora cried, trying to wave the shadow away with her magic.

The shadow was unaffected by Cora's magic and advanced on the Queen of Hearts.

Cora froze, rooted to the spot.

The shadow raised its hand, which seemed to be holding a shadowy dagger. It plunged the blade into Cora's chest.

Cora gasped in shock.

"Do you see now the power of R'hllor?" came Melisandre's voice as she stepped into the light. "Even you are powerless against him."

The shadow faded away, leaving Cora, who smiled at the priestess.

"You clearly didn't do much research before coming to assault me," Cora laughed. "I'm the Queen of Hearts. I control hearts, including my own. And my heart is in a place where you can't get your hands on it."

Melisandre looked into Cora's eyes and knew her to be speaking the truth. Terror seized the Red Priestess. _A person without a heart? _She suddenly felt quite cold.

"You might be the most powerful person in Asshai," Cora began, advancing on Melisandre. "But I'm number one around here. And no one can defeat me."

Cora plunged her hand into Melisandre's chest, ripping her heart out.

"You are dealing with powers that are greater than you or I, Queen of Hearts," Melisandre declared in ringing tones.

Cora cried out in pain as Melisandre's heart caught fire in her hand. She dropped it and clutched at her blistered flesh with the other hand.

"R'hllor protects his faithful," the priestess said, picking up her heart and reinserting it into her chest. "He would have done the same for you, but it's far too late for that. You are beyond help."

"And what will you do to me, oh great one?" Cora inquired loathingly.

"I'm going to kill you and claim this land for the Lord of Light. Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"You will kneel before me and swear never to assail one of R'hllor's followers again."

This pushed Cora over the line. _I will not kneel_, her mind told her. _Not again, for anyone._

The Queen of Hearts let out a wave of magic that shattered nearby glass and knocked the Red Priestess from her feet.

"Guards!" she cried, bringing her nearby soldiers to her bedchamber. "I will not tolerate this Red Woman any longer. Off with her head!"

"You've made a powerful enemy today, Your Majesty," Melisandre cried. As Cora's soldiers closed in, the jewel that Melisandre wore around her neck began to glow.

"I call on the power of R'hllor!" Melisandre called. She smiled wickedly at Cora and disappeared in a flash of fire, returning to her own world.

* * *

The next morning, Cora called the Knave of Hearts to her chamber.

"Knave, I want you to put out a price on the Red Priestess' head," she commanded.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Will Scarlett made to leave the room.

"Wait!" Cora called, struck by a thought. "Turn around."

Will, bound by Cora's control on his heart, obeyed.

Cora studied his face closely. _I thought that shadow looked familiar_, she thought.

"Very well. Go!" she commanded.

Will Scarlett bowed to his Queen and left the room.

Cora looked into her looking glass. _Wonderland is no longer safe_, she thought. _It's time to find a way back home. Perhaps we shall see how desperate Regina is to keep her father in her life._

And so the Queen of Hearts decided to kidnap her husband and lure Regina to Wonderland. Maybe, just maybe, her daughter would give her a way to get home to the Enchanted Forest, safe from the person who would inhabit her nightmares for the rest of her life: Melisandre.

* * *

THE END

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